Expertise

Research Interests

Dr. Specht''s current research focuses on evaluating co-occurring disorders as moderators of treatment outcome as well as developing and evaluating clinical algorithms for combining available empirically supported treatments for clinically complex patients.

Biography

In the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins, Matt W. Specht, Ph.D., focuses on neuropsychiatric disorders, namely Tourettes disorder and OCD. He began his career at Johns Hopkins in 2006 as a project coordinator and therapist for the Johns Hopkins portion of the NIMH-funded behavior therapy for children with Tourettes Disorder trial (RO1MH069874). He currently serves as the Johns Hopkins site principal investigator (since 2010). He is also a co-investigator (since 2010) for the NINDS-funded Tourettes Syndrome Association (TSA) Genetic Linkage Study 2U01NS040024-06A1. Dr. Specht joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 2008 as an Instructor and has since been promoted to Assistant Professor (2011).

Additional Information

Fellowships

Research Summary

Dr. Specht is interested in empirically-supported behavioral and cognitive behavioral treatments for Tourette’s and tic disorders as well as common comorbid psychiatric conditions (e.g., Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD], Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder [OCD], and anxiety disorders). He has developed the Tic and Repetitive Behaviors Disorders Specialty Clinic within the Pediatric Medical Psychology Program. His research is focused on examining the means through which behavioral treatments result in sustained reductions in tic symptoms. He is the Principal Investigator of the Tourette Syndrome Association-funded Prolonged Tic Suppression and Habituation to the Premonitory Urge. He was involved with the Tourette Syndrome Association’s large-NIMH funded Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) study.